Microfiber-Based Triboelectric Acoustic Sensors Enable Self-Powered Ultrasonic Localization and Tracking Underwater.

Area of Science:

• Marine acoustics
• Sensor technology
• Triboelectric nanogenerators

Background:

• Underwater ultrasonic detection is vital for marine security, resource development, and defense.
• Current active scanning systems are costly, energy-intensive, and difficult to deploy at scale.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a self-powered microfiber-based triboelectric acoustic sensor (MTAS) for precise underwater ultrasound source distance measurement.
• To develop a distributed network of MTAS units for large-scale sea applications, enabling localization and trajectory visualization.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a core-shell hierarchical microfiber structure for triboelectric acoustic sensing.
• Leveraging contact electrification/triboelectrification and electrostatic induction to convert ultrasonic vibrations into electrical signals.
• Employing time-difference-of-arrival analysis for ultrasonic source detection and localization.

Main Results:

• The MTAS exhibits a rapid response time of 8.6 μs and a high signal-to-noise ratio of 29.8 dB.
• Detection of ultrasonic sources with power levels exceeding 1.6 W was achieved.
• A distributed network demonstrated precise ultrasonic source localization and real-time motion trajectory visualization.

Conclusions:

• The MTAS provides a self-powered, deployable, and imperceptible solution for underwater target detection.
• This innovation facilitates energy-efficient, large-area submarine security systems.
• The technology advances underwater detection, supporting marine safety and environmental sustainability.